Burning Man is an annual event held in the Black Rock Desert, in Northern Nevada. It takes its name from the ritual burning of a large wooden effigy on Saturday evening. The event is described by many participants as an experiment in community, radical self-expression, and radical self-reliance. The event is open from the last Monday in August until Labor Day (the first Monday in September). The event is organized by Black Rock City, LLC. In 2008, 49,599 people participated in Burning Man.